Daniel Meehan, 22, was arrested in a deadly counterfeit Xanax case that's claimed the lives of 2 people who ingested it.

Daniel Meehan, 22, was arrested in a deadly counterfeit Xanax case that's claimed the lives of 2 people who ingested it.

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Updated: 7:40 PM PST Nov 10, 2015

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WEBVTT NOW COVERAGE YOU CAN COUNTON.DAN: GOOD EVENING.WE ARE BEGINNING TONIGHT WITH ANARREST IN A DEADLY COUNTERFEITXANAX CASE THAT HAS CLAIMED THELIVES OF TWO PEOPLE.22-YEAR-OLD DANIEL MEEHAN OFAPTOS ARRESTED ON A NUMBER OFJUDGE AND WEAPONS -- DRUG ANDWEAPONS CHARGES.THE INVESTIGATION IS FAR FROMOVER.THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ANDTHE FEDERAL DRUG ADMINISTRATIONARE NOW INVOLVED.INVESTIGATORS NOW TRYING TODETERMINE WHO IS ACTUALLYMANUFACTURING THIS LETHALCOUNTERFEIT XANAX.SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ANNOUNCED THEARREST OF 22-YEAR-OLD DANIELMEEHAN IN CONJUNCTION WITHCOUNTERFEIT XANAX THAT TOOK THELIVES OF TWO MEN LAST WEEK INSANTA CRUZ COUNTY.MEEHAN WAS ARRESTED AT HISHOME IN WATSONVILLE ANDDETECTIVES ALSO CONFISCATEDQUITE A FEW OTHER ITEMS.SHERIFF DETECTIVE INTERVIEWEDMEEHAN AND TOLD THEM HE HADINDEED SUPPLIED ONE OF THEDECEASED WITH THE LETHALMEDICATION BUT DID NOT RELIZEWHAT HE THOUGHT WAS ANANTIDEPRESSANT WAS ACTUALLYFENTINYL.MEEHAN FACES A NUMBER OFCHARGES INCLUDING SUSPICION OF, MANUFACTURING AND SALES OFDRUGS, POSSESSION OF AN ILLEGALASSAULT WEAPON, MARIJUANA SALESAND ILLEGAL MARIJUANACULTIVATION, BUT HAS NOT BEENDIRECTLY LINKED TO ANYONE'SDEATH RELATED TO THE COUNTERFEITXANAX.LOTS OF ISSUES, INCLUDINGWHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY HADKNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IT WAS AHEADOF TIME AND THOSE SORT OF THINGSARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THEINVESTIGATION AND THE CHARGINGDECISION.INVESTIGATORS ALSO RECOVEREDA DOZEN OF THE COUNTERFEIT PILLSFROM MEEHAN'S HOME AND HANDEDTHEM OVER TO THE DEA AND THE FDAON MONDAY.MEEHAN CLAIMED HE TRIED TODESTROY THE PILLS WHEN HELEARNED THEY WERE THE DEADLYCOUNTERFEITS.DETECTIVES WERE ABLE TOSUCCESSFULLY LOCATE TEN OF THEPILLS ON WHITE ROAD NEAR ZANTESROAD.WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO LOCATE TWOAND A HALF MORE PILLS AT THESCENE.THE PILL LOOKS NEARLYIDENTICAL TO THE REAL XANAX,WHICH TREATS ANXIETY AND PANICDISORDERS, BUT THE COUNTERFEITIS MADE WITH FENTANYL, A POTENTOPIOID MEDICATION.THE COATING IS LITTLE BITHARDER IN THE REAL XANAX.IT LOOKS MORE PROFESSIONALLYMADE AND IT HAS KIND OF ASHINERY COAT WHERE THECOUNTERFEIT PILLS HAVE MORE OF ARUFF APPEARANCE.-- ROUGH APPEARANCE.THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS ALSOLOOKING INTO WHETHER MEEHAN HASANY LINK TO THE DEADLY DRUG THATIS CIRCULATING IN THE SANFRANCISCO AREA.THAT HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO ATLEAST 3 DEATHS.